Recognise the signs

Consistent bedtime routine

If you create a sleep routine that is the same every day, your baby will learn that at the end of it, she is expected to sleep. Just make sure it's a series of relaxing steps that happen in the same order at about the same time every night.

Your baby will be more relaxed if she knows what's coming next. The more relaxed she is, the more likely it will be that she'll go to bed easily and fall asleep quickly.

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Co-sleep

Many parents choose to let their baby sleep with them in their bed. Some research does suggest that babies who co-sleep wake less often, and go back to sleep sooner, than babies who sleep separately.

But co-sleeping does have its disadvantages and when the time comes, it can be difficult to teach your baby to sleep in her own bed. It has also been shown to increase the risk of SIDS although the South Asian community has a relatively low incidence of SIDS despite the popular custom of co-sleeping.

Creating the right environment

Whether you choose to co-sleep, use a cot or baby bassinet, the place where your baby sleeps should be only for sleeping. This will teach your baby that whenever she goes to her bed, she is meant to sleep. If you use her cot as a play pen in the day, your baby gets mixed signals and will not associate bed with sleep.

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